Many Christians believe that we cannot understand the times because Jesus said that no man knows the hour in which He will return (see Matthew 24:36). Even though it is true that we do not know the time of His return, we can still know the times, and in fact we must. I Thessalonians 5:1-4 says:
Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.
For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief.
No Christian should be in the dark about the times. We should have a basic commitment to know them because the Lord severely chastised those who could discern the signs of impending weather better than they knew the signs of the times (see Matthew 16:3). Today, our news is filled with examples of biblical prophecy being fulfilled. Great teachers have been raised up in the body of Christ who are like modern Apollos in the Book of Acts, who help to explain these prophecies and how they are being fulfilled, greatly strengthening believers and helping to prepare them for the times.
As we see in Acts 2:17-18, which is a quote from Joel 2, one of the great signs of the last days is the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit is poured out in these last days, the result is prophetic revelation in dreams, visions, and prophecy:
“AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,” God says,
"THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT UPON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;
EVEN UPON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT and they shall prophesy.”
Old and young, male and female, will all be prophesying and having dreams and visions. This began in measure with the Azusa Street Revival more than one hundred years ago, which coincided with the beginning of the Zionist Movement for the Jews to retake their land in Palestine. In 1948, another wave of the Spirit began to sweep the world that coincided with the Jewish people reestablishing their own nation in Israel. In 1967, another great move of the Spirit swept the world that coincided with the Jewish people retaking their ancient capital of Jerusalem. There is a link between what happens with Israel and “spiritual Israel,” the church. Israel is the fig tree that the Lord told His people to observe to understand the times. It is like a barometer of what is happening in the nations. The whole world is like Israel in many ways—rising troubles both within and without.
As the verses above explain, one of the great signs of the last days is the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in an unprecedented way, which will result in prophetic revelation coming to all who receive the Holy Spirit. This is not just a sign, and such prophetic revelation is not just given to make our services more interesting, but is given because we will need much more clear and accurate prophetic guidance for these times.
In the late 1980s, some remarkable prophetic people were raised up, and spectacular prophetic gifts drew the attention of much of the body of Christ worldwide. Of course, many did not believe in them, and others opposed them for other various reasons, but much of the church was the least amazed by these remarkable gifts. I knew most of the prophetic ministries being raised up then, and it was a time of some of the most remarkable signs, wonders, and acts of God, which would have to be classified as “signs in the heavens.” However, the persecution against the prophetic was also some of the most severe. Some of these prophetic ministries did well, and some did not, but there has only been One who has ever been perfect. Overall, a great advance for the body of Christ was the result. Even so, since then there seems to have been a leveling off of the power and anointing on the prophetic in general.
However, in just the last couple of months, a jolt hit many of the prophetically-gifted and they are coming awake again. Another wave of the Spirit is being released, especially in the prophetic ministries. Because these gifts are given for the Lord to strategically communicate to the body, this will result in movement with all of the other ministries too.
The promise we have is that in one year we will see the authority and anointing on the prophetic doubled. At the same time, prophetic people are hearing that next year is going to be one of the most intense in our lifetime. Obviously, we are going to need to be able to hear clearly from the Lord on a new level.